Cartridge-carrier for bottom-loading guns.



No. 802,761. PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905. T. O. JOHNSON. CARTRIDGE CARRIER FOR BOTTOM LOADING GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31,1905.

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THOMAS JOHNSON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO WINCHESTER REPEATING NECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

ARMS (10., OF NEW HAVEN, CON

CARTRIDGE-CARRIER FOR BOTTOM-LOADING GUNS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application filed July 31 1905. Serial No. 272,081.

Bottom-Loading Guns; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the figures of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure l, a broken view, in vertical longitudinal section, of a bottom-loading tubularmagazine firearm furnished with a pivotal cartridge-carrier constructed in accordance with my invention and shown in its depressed or cartridge-receiving position with a cartridge partly supported upon its cartridgelifting finger, the forward end of the cartridge extending into the magazine and its head being engaged with thecartridge-stop depending from the breech-block; Fig. 2, a broken view of the gun-frame in horizontal section looking down upon the carrier, which is shown in plan; Fig. 3, a detached plan view of the carrier; Fig. 4, a View in front elevation of the single cartridge-lifting finger of the carrier.

My invention relates to an improvement in pivotal cartridge-carriers for bottom-loading tubular-magazine firearms, particularly shotguns, the object of my present invention being to secure ample clearance-space for use in pushing a cartridge upon the carrier forward therefrom into the tubular magazine of the gun, so as to release the carrier and permit it to be lifted into its intermediate or magazine charging position for the purpose of unloading the magazine or for introducing additional cartridges thereinto.

Further objects of my invention are to simplify and lighten the carrier, to reduce, if desired, the width of the gun-frame, and in general to secure economy of space in the arm.

With these ends in view my invention consists in the combination, with a gun-frame having a bottom-loading opening, of a tubular magazine and a pivotal cartridge-carrier having a cartridge-lifting finger arranged centrally with respect to the loading-opening, whereby two clearance-spaces are formed between the edges of the finger and the opposite side walls of that portion of the gun-frame above the said opening.

My invention further consists in certain de tails of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

' In carrying out my invention as herein shown my improved pivotal cartridge-carrier is made from two virtually corresponding inembers 2 and 8, united by a transverselyarranged screw 4. The said members-2 and 3 are formed with blade-like forward extensions 5 and 6, which unite to form-a single long narrow cartridge-lifting finger 7, located centrally above the bottom-loading opening 8 in the gun-frame 9 and centrally between those portions of the side walls of the said frame lying above the said opening, whereby long clearance-spaces 11 and 12 are formed between the respective side edges of the finger and the inner faces of the side walls of the gun-frame. wide enough to permit the user of the arm to reach upward from underneath through the loading-opening 8 with his fingers, with his knife, with a key, with a stick, or with some other convenient object for the purpose of pushing the cartridge resting upon the finger 7 forward into the tubular magazine 13 of the gun. For this purpose he may employ either one or both of the openings 11 and 12. Near the rear ends of the blades 5 and 6 and upon their upper faces they are formed with shoulders 13 and 14, uniting to form a cartridgeabutment l5, acting as a stop to limit the rearward movement of the cartridges upon the finger 7 of the carrier. The upper face of the finger is preferably concaved, as shown by Fig. 4.

The rear ends of the members 2 and 3 are respectively formed with arms 16 and 17, oflset from each other and furnished with trunnions 18, having bearing in holes 19 in the side walls of the gun-frame 9. The carrier may be operated in any approved manneras, for instance, by its provision at the rear end of its arm 17 with a carrier-elevator 20, coacting with the under side of the breech bolt 21 for elevating the carrier, all as fully shown and described in Patent No. 7 68,665, granted on my application filed June 29, 1905. The depression of the carrier is effected, as

These clearance-spaces are shown, by the coaction of a spring-actuated.

plunger 22 with anose 23, formed on the lower edge of the arm 17 at a point to the rear of the trunnion 18 thereof. This is also explained in my prior patent just above referred to. Of course other means might be employed for lifting and depressing the carrier. The means shown and thus briefly described are offered merely as examples of how the carrier may be operated, such mechanisms not being directly concerned with my present invention.

The gun-frame 9 may be of any approved construction as long as it is formed in its bottom wall with a loadingopening 8 large enough to permit the cartridges to be fed upward through it and pushed forward into the tubular magazine 13, the rear end of which is threaded and screwed into a threaded socket 25, formed in the lower portion of the front end of the frame 9 in the usual manner. This tubular magazine is provided with a follower 26, operated by a follower-spring, which is not shown. The magazine 13 is located directly below and parallel with the gun-barrel 27, the rear end of which is threaded and screwed into a threaded socket 28, formed in the recoiling-barrel extension 29, located in the upper portion of the gun-frame 9.

It has seemed unnecessary to show or describe the breech mechanism of the gun beyond the carrier, which contains my present improvement, and the breech-block 21, which may be of any approved construction-as, for instance, the construction shown in my prior patent, hereinbefore referred to by number and date. The said breech-block is provided position to be lifted by the carrier up in front of the block preparatory to be loaded thereby into the gun-barrel.

It is apparent that in carrying out my invention some changes from the construction shown and described may be made. I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself thereto, but hold myself at lib- J erty to make such departures therefrom as a fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with a gun-frame having a bottom-loading opening, of a tubular magazine, and a pivotal cartridge-carrier having a single long, narrow cartridge-lifting finger centrally located over the said loading-opening, whereby long clearance-s paces are formed between its respective side edges and those portions of the side walls of the gun-frame lying just above the said opening.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS C. JOHNSON. Witnesses:

FRED O. EARLE, CLARA L. WEED. 

